is it a gd idea to try learn the guitar by myself ie thru a book or advise of other people etc?

Question

basically i wana start learning the guitar for certain reasons although i already learn the piano. It's not a good idea for me to get lessons because to me its mostly classical and way too many people learn it because of rock so its kinda off putting.....i havent even got a guitar yet so i wana ask how much a gd priced guitar would be i think i prefer a acoustic but wots more worth the money 1 acoustic guitar/ a electic acoustic / electric with a amp. Prefer if u dont recommend me internet auctions sites like amazon and ebay......
answers much appreciatted

basically i wana start learning the guitar for certain reasons although i already learn the piano. It's not a good idea for me to get lessons because to me its mostly classical (which i dont want to learn) and way too many people learn it because of rock so its kinda off putting.....(because i feel ppl learn the guitar just bcuz they people play it for rock although i do listen to it!)
i havent even got a guitar yet so i wana ask how much a gd priced guitar would be i think i prefer a acoustic but wots more worth the money 1 acoustic guitar/ a electic acoustic / electric with a amp. Prefer if u dont recommend me internet auctions sites like amazon and ebay......
answers much appreciatted

and anotha thing i think i should jsut say y i wana learn the guitar its so i can lead my worship group for church not sure if any of your familiar with wot i mean

Answer 1

Hi Jenny...it's nice to hear it is for church. I have been playing guitar for a really long time including classical guitar, rock, etc., etc. Lessons are key as you probably know from playing the piano, but usually only from a guitar teacher with a good reputation and hopefully with a degree or two in music. If you don't want formal lessons then advice from a good guitarist can definitely save you some time in improving your skills and maybe prevent you from developing some bad habits (i.e., you should fret the note close to the fret because it requires less physical effort and produces less buzz and better tone).

BUT, if you want to learn some things on your own, definitely pick up the Christopher Parkening books (there are two of his "method" books out there). He is one of the best ever guitarists (and a really nice guy) AND you might like the Christian statements here and there in his book. Though he is a classical guitarist, you should be able to learn enough technique that translates into other guitar playing especially on the acoustic steel string guitar. This is partially because the first of his two books is really for beginning guitarists not solely beginning "classical" guitarists. Plus, it is the only book I've seen that has nice pieces that you will want to play versus guitar studies that have little musical allure. It is not entirely a simple method book though because to really get the results to sound like a "pro" you should have a great teacher but those books are very good for getting you "started."

As to a type of guitar, if it is for church probably an acoustic steel string. With an acoustic guitar you can of course use a microphone and amp and your church's PA system probably. A steel string/"folk" guitar is versatile and you can still use the Parkening methods with the steel string. Also, you will have an easier time standing out from the other musicians as compared to a typical store bought classical/nylon string instrument because a classical guitar is generally not as loud especially those in a regular store which not generally of any very seriously good level quality.

But, having owned a ton of guitars the key is getting your hands on a bunch and comparing (if you can) because even between the same guitar builder the tones and qualities can vary. You can spend $100 and get a decent guitar to start with though but likely a few hundred to get you started.

You're also right to stay away from those internet auction sites because you never know what you get for a guitar there and some are not even real listings. Musician's Friend has a website with a lot of guitars for a budget purchase. If you can comfortably make the investment (I mean thousands) then contact the great guys at Trilogy Guitars in CA. They have a website too. They have top quality guitars way better than the ones you would find on other sites and in stores(but no electrics unless an acoustic happens to have a pickup installed) and are right on in giving advice tailored to what you are looking for. If you want an amazing guitar for life check with them.

Anyway, if I were in your situation I would choose the steel string guitar (though I prefer classical) because you typically can play more pieces and it has a greater range as to styles of music. Plus, the classical guitar is not very clear if just strumming chords unless you have a very good guitar which can cost you a lot. With an acoustic steel string you can carry it around as long as it is not too hot, cold or dry since it might warp or crack the woods and you can't easily do that with an electric since there's not always a place to plug in!

Good luck with everything!

Answer 2

If you want to buy a guitar, the best places are online at musician's friend or guitar trader. Differences are small, but i myself bought a guitar at musicians friend and was very pleased both with the low price and the service.

Learning guitar can be either easy and fun - or a chore. learning a few chords and using free stuff from the net takes time and effort. You should get guitar lessons - either hire a teacher, or get an online guitar lessons course. I used such a course and it was very effective and also inexpensive compared to hiring a guitar teacher. Also, it enabled me to progress at my own pace, practice whenever I had free time.
Best advice i can give you is to go to ReviewsNest.com - the reviews site where i read about the course i bought: http://www.reviewsnest.com/GuitarLessons . They give free reviews for several guitar courses, tell U what to look for in a course, what are the best courses around, and what u get in each course they checked.
I bought the LMG course (their top pick) so i can only vouch for it - I don't know about the other courses. However - the course i bought is excellent, and their review of it was spot-on, and it looks like the other reviews they put for the other courses are good too. top rated courses are priced from $20 to $200 - so i guess you can find one that suits your pocket.

Good luck, whatever you choose. Once you start playing well - you'll never stop!
Andy

Answer 3

look around on the internet for guitars. if you're starting then go to gak.com and have a look at some of the squier guitars. you can sometimes get package deals as well with an amp, case, lead, etc. lessons are great but you cant always learn what you want. there are some great guitar tab and lesson sites on the internet, the best being www.ultimate-guitar.com. have a search on the internet for acoustic and electric guitars at good prices but dont buy a poor guitar design, my friends have done that and it was basically a waste of 200 pounds

Answer 4

I would suggest an educational guitar lesson video or book from some guitarist that you respect. My son bought a video from his favorite and he improved 200%. I took guitar lessons from local teachers 3 different times and I do not play the guitar today. Go with the acoustic to start and not too expensive a guitar. Not everyone who plays guitar sticks with it or enjoys it. A decent acoustic should cost you approx. $200 or less. There is nothing wrong with a gently used guitar either!

Answer 5

You should buy an orchestra acoustic guitar,the spaces between the strings is larger and it has a nice sound. Trouble is they can be expensive.I would reccomend that you did buy it at an auction site considering they can be pricey.But to learn why dont you go down to the music store and ask to buy a beginner guitar.A decent one should cost you anywhere from 100-150 dollars.Be sure to pick up a beginners handbook and a electronic toner so you can tune your guitar. Good luck.

Answer 6

If you like a relatively inexpensive way to learn guitar from home, online guitar classes certainly are a easy and clear selection but for decades, Jamorama, https://tr.im/KbFS1 has been a front-runner in this industry, giving quality multimedia guitar education as possible get to your computer.
Jamorama offers a good choice of lessons and is unquestionably an excellent select for a beginning guitarist. Jamorama's video material is all in good HD quality, and their main teacher, Mark McKenzie, does a best wishes protecting the fundamentals in a easy-to-understand and intuitive way.

Answer 7

Every guitarist struggles at the beginning. You really won't need an instructor trust me on that. Once you learn the chords and understand the basics of tabulator just get music tabs of the internet a learn a song in your own time. But to be a good guitarist must have lots of patients and motivation.

Answer 8

How long it takes to learn guitar depends on how good you want to get and how much practice you put in. How good you can get with 1-2 hours a day for a few months depends on what methods you use to practice. There are effective practice methods that will help you make the best use of your time. This course is one of the best. https://bitly.im/aMSvF It's not just about how much you play but how effectively you play that will determine how good you will get.

Answer 9

This is a really good site to buy;
http://www.gak.co.uk/
Guitar & Keyboard Centre.

Lessons are best, if you can't take them then pick up what you can from other people and use a book when theres no other option. There are people who give classical lessons if thats what you want!

Answer 10

If you want to seriously learn classical guitar you NEED to take lessons. If not, you will teach yourself bad habits that will take years to unlearn if ever.
As to most teachers being rock musicians, this is not true. Most good teachers are classically trained and can ALSO teach other styles. It's not a big stretch for a classical guitarist to play and teach rock.
Ask at your local music stores (where they sell instruments) or music schools in universities where you can take lessons.

Good luck.